The Seeds of Education Reform Are Growing This Fall
August 31, 2010
by Webmaster
The Seeds of Education Reform Are Growing This Fall
This time of year, education takes center stage as students of all ages return to school. Yet this is not an ordinary fall. Higher education in California has reduced the number of classes being offered and the number of students being admitted due to budget cuts; and K-12 public education is facing more students in many classrooms due to the same budget cuts. Here in Los Angeles and across the nation, teacher evaluations have attracted the spotlight due to President Obama's "Race to the Top" and a series of articles by the Los Angeles Times.
Last Friday, the president of the University of California, the chancellor of California State University and the chancellor of the California Community College System were at the Chamber to discuss the state of higher education in California on the 50th anniversary of our Master Plan for Higher Education. All three leaders emphasized the changes that budget cuts have caused at their institutions; and at the same time they voiced appreciation for the confidence that the public has in California's system of higher education, and a continued commitment to maintaining quality and meeting the needs of as many California students as possible.
They also highlighted the urgent need for action from the business community in support of education funding – using words like persistence and collaboration. Only with persistence can we change the current status quo and only with collaboration can diverse perspectives turn stalemates into progress.
The debate over whether or how to use student test scores in evaluating teacher performance is an example. For years, teacher unions, administrators, school boards and parents have discussed in committees and task forces ways to evaluate and reward teachers other than the long-standing measures of seniority and number of credit hours beyond a bachelor's degree. The Obama Administration made teacher evaluations based partially on student test scores a cornerstone of their education agenda. Many education reform activists, business leaders and some teachers whose skills in the classroom had never been acknowledged cheered, while objections continued from many teachers and union leaders. But today, I see a willingness by principals and teachers and their union leaders to come to the table for a spirited conversation about designing an evaluation and development process that eliminates poor performers, supports principals and teachers in their professional growth, and opens the door to replicating, reinforcing and rewarding the many highly skilled teachers that work in our schools.
The next step is for the district and the teacher and principal unions to craft a sound evaluation method that is fair and accurate, as well as one that will help us recognize the truly great teachers along with methods they use to succeed. To what end? The benefit of the students in our classrooms!
As a former teacher, I am excited that people are talking about education and have decided that all of us, not just educators, administrators and parents, have an important role to play in pressing for more funding, and in demanding excellence from our students, teachers and administrators. The seeds of reform are beginning to take root. And like our children, it's our responsibility to ensure that they grow.
And that's The Business Perspective.

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